If Zhang Shen had cried foul and defended himself, the Emperor, who attended to a myriad of state affairs daily, might not have had the leisure or patience to listen to such nonsense.
Perhaps, in a fit of rage, he would have had him dragged out and beaten to death on the spot, ending the matter once and for all and ridding himself of the bad luck that had been stuck in his throat like a fishbone all these years.
But now that Zhang Shen knew he was guilty and was so willing to accept death with such a good attitude, the Emperor's anger was already half gone.
With his anger subsided, his patience grew. The Emperor also became interested and was willing to spend another half a quarter of an hour to ask clearly, so he asked:
"At least you know some shame and understand right from wrong. Zhang Shen, raise your head. Since you knew it was a crime, why did you commit it in the first place?"
Zhang Shen raised his head, his face full of shame:
"Although this commoner is far away in Yangzhou, the fact that I can have a modest fortune and live and work in peace is all due to Your Majesty's reign and the clear administration of officials. Bathed in Imperial grace, although I am a humble person with little influence, I have overestimated my abilities. Towards Your Majesty, the Son of Heaven, I have always been deeply grateful and harbored a desire to repay you."
The Emperor truly did not expect this answer. It is said that a person's words are kind when death is near. This Zhang Shen was about to die, so his words must be at least eighty percent true.
No one dislikes flattery, and of course, that included the young Emperor.
The Emperor was a ruler who grew up deep within the palace. He had never experienced the civilian world firsthand, nor had he ever personally come into contact with the common people, or rather, the grassroots subjects.
The word "commoners," in the Emperor's eyes, was merely a concept used when governing the world; they were never living, breathing people.
But now, there was a living, breathing person, a commoner under his rule, who ran up to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, under your rule, I am living very well, so I want to serve my sovereign."
Such sincere yet clumsy flattery was far more useful and pleasing to the Emperor than the daily sycophancy of the court ministers, concubines, and eunuchs.
A Son of Heaven, who already possessed the world and held the highest power—the whole world was his—naturally had spiritual pursuits higher than material things.
The Emperor unconsciously felt a sense of pride in his heart. So, in the eyes of the common people, am I such a wise and brilliant monarch?
I am truly an enlightened ruler!
Because of this, the other half of the Emperor's anger also mostly dissipated. Drinking his tea, his tone carried a hint of a smile:
"So you came up with such a method?"
Zhang Shen became even more ashamed, his head drooping even lower:
"Zhao Shiyuan actually dared to deceive Your Majesty; he truly deserves to die. But this commoner is incompetent and powerless. Apart from this method, I really couldn't think of any other way. This commoner deceived Your Majesty and deserves death a thousand times over; I dare not extravagantly hope for Your Majesty's forgiveness..."
The more Zhang Shen spoke, the lower his head drooped, and the softer his voice became. In the end, with a loud thud, his head hit the floor, his whole body tilted to the side, and he passed out completely.
The Emperor was startled. He put down his teacup and looked at Shen Xu:
"What happened to him? Is he dead?"
Shen Xu bent down and checked Zhang Shen's breathing with his fingers, replying:
"To reply to Your Majesty, not yet. He still has a little breath left. While he's still breathing, should this subject drag him out and behead him? Otherwise, he might just die on his own in a moment."
The psychological effect of the words "enlightened ruler" was still present. How could an enlightened ruler casually chop off people's heads?
The Emperor's anger had largely subsided, and his tolerance for Zhang Shen had increased significantly. He ordered:
"Forget it. Although the man is a bit foolish, he is still loyal. Let his family take him away. Whether he can survive depends on his own fortune."
Shen Xu dragged Zhang Shen up, half-dragging and half-carrying him out, and replied:
"Yes, this subject obeys the decree. Then about confiscating his family property, should I send someone to raid his house?"
The Emperor was an enlightened ruler. Since he had even forgiven Zhang Shen's crime, raiding his house for no reason would not sound good and would go against his reputation as a wise monarch.
So the Emperor thought about it and said:
"Since he has the heart to serve, I will give him an errand. Let him be the one to raise the silver to build the Huiyi Temple."
......
Gu Zhao had told her to wait at the palace gates at the hour of Chen, but Zhu Qingyu, who had barely slept all night, couldn't wait and got up at the hour of Yin.
Not only was Zhu Qingyu awake, but almost everyone in the Zhang residence was awake.
Zhang Ruohua had been tossing and turning in bed before the hour of Yin. Uncle Lyu had already harnessed the carriage and was waiting. The head steward was also dressed for going out and sitting by the door waiting. Even Nanny Wang was in the kitchen, having already started boiling mutton and red date soup.
Since everyone was awake and just worrying anxiously at home, it was better to go wait at the palace gates.
As soon as the curfew passed, the doors of the Zhang residence opened. A carriage, with Zhu Qingyu and Zhang Ruohua sitting inside, and Uncle Lyu and the head steward sitting at the front, carried the whole group to pick up Zhang Shen.
They arrived at the Donghua Gate before the hour of Mao. Ministers continuously passed by to attend the morning court, and then continuously left as the court was dismissed. They waited until halfway through the hour of Chen, but Zhang Shen still hadn't come out.
Even Zhu Qingyu began to lose her composure. Unable to sit still in the carriage, she got off and walked in circles at the palace gate like a donkey turning a millstone.
Up on the wall of the Donghua Gate, Gu Zhao watched Zhu Qingyu walk in circles below for just as long as she paced.
In front of him, she had always been calm, rational, and completely at ease, even when he had pinned her down on the couch.
Gu Zhao had never seen her like this. It turned out that for another man, she could also be like this—restless, fearful, and completely devoid of reason.
The more he watched, the more the pain and jealousy in his heart intertwined. Almost masochistically, Gu Zhao forced himself to remember the way she looked right now, deeply worried and yearning for another man.
Gu Shouming, you must remember, this is what she truly looks like when she cares for someone.
Everything else is just her disguise.
Stop harboring extravagant hopes; you will never get it.
Just this once, and then, let it go.
As he watched, Shen Xu half-dragged and half-carried Zhang Shen out.
Gu Zhao then saw the previously anxious young lady practically lift her skirts and sprint over, catching the man in her arms.
With the help of the group, Zhu Qingyu helped Zhang Shen into the carriage.
Zhang Shen's condition was very bad; he was burning with a high fever and they needed to head back quickly.
Just as Zhu Qingyu was about to board the carriage, she seemed to sense something and glanced up at the city gate.
Gu Zhao smiled and mouthed the words:
"The hour of Shen."
Zhu Qingyu, I have fulfilled my promise. Now it is time for you to fulfill yours.
Make a clean break with me.
